diff --git a/lib/marked.js b/lib/marked.js
index f87970e1..42e0e8a0 100644
--- a/lib/marked.js
+++ b/lib/marked.js
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ Lexer.prototype.token = function(src, top) {
       l,
       isordered,
       istask,
-      ischecked;
+      ischecked,
+      blockquote,
+      count;
 
   while (src) {
     // newline
@@ -299,8 +301,8 @@ Lexer.prototype.token = function(src, top) {
         type: 'blockquote_start'
       });
 
-      var blockquote = cap[0].replace(/^ *> ?/gm, '');
-      var count = 1;
+      blockquote = cap[0].replace(/^ *> ?/gm, '');
+      count = 1;
       while (blockquote.match(/^ {0,3}>/)) {
         count++;
         this.tokens.push({